A fitting guest for the Sestercentennial of the show, Simon "The Patrician" Evans was once Guest Zero - without him the podcast might not exist at all. A touring and club powerhouse, and Radio 4 regular, his every line and inflection is a polished diamond. We explore the grind necessary to achieve those results, discover the devilment beneath his political dalliances, and learn which TV comic pushed him to "adapt or die"...

Hear extra material from this conversation with Simon, as well as from Dara O'Briain, James Acaster and more, PLUS a load of other interactive comedy projects giving you more tailored direct advice on creating work. Don't miss out, download the private "Insiders Club" podcast at www.comedianscomedian.com/insiders

Anuvab Pal is one of a new generation, exploding out of India's relatively recent "comedy Big Bang". This disarming, witty act reveals how hard he finds it to embrace the Western "free thought" approach to learning, and waxes lyrical on the difference between art and "retail entertainment", as well as giving us the low-down on who to watch out for in Indian comedy...

Hear extra material from this conversation with Anuvab, as well as extras from Russell Howard, James Acaster and more, PLUS a load of other interactive comedy projects giving you more tailored direct advice on creating work. Don't miss out, download the private "Insiders" podcast at www.comedianscomedian.com/insiders

Sophie is a hurricane of comedy in action. Possessed of a singular voice, she focuses her wit on genuinely important subject matter, including the cuts to social and mental health care services. We talk about obtaining government funding for her comedy tours, the "politics of politeness", and what happens after the conversation about class in comedy...
Hear extra material from this conversation with Sophie, as well as extras from Russell Howard, James Acaster and more, plus a load of other interactive comedy projects... Support the show by becoming a member of the "Insiders Club" at www.comedianscomedian.com/insiders
See Sophie on tour nationally and at the Soho Theatre this June, details via www.sophiewillan.com@SophieWillan@ComComPod
See Stu on tour over the next two months, including a DVD record of the tour show on June 14th in Bristol:

Considering oneself "an artist who works in the field of comedy" is the starting point for a fascinating re-framing of the whole goddamn thing, in this conversation with the wonderfully funny, curious, and extraordinarily inventive Ben Target. We discover a shared inspiration in an Argentinian circus, explore Ben's holistic approach to theatre-in-the-round, and find out why minor authority figures are inherently funny...

Recorded in 2017, this episode refers to Anne's previous Barry nomination and not her most recent one, which might hint at the kind of quality of comic we've got here... We talk about her ability to inhabit incredibly funny and idiosyncratic Australian characters, her eye for detail, and then completely miss out on her excellent ABC "noir"-ish sitcom "The Edge Of The Bush".

One of the most recognisable faces of the "Blue Collar Comedy Tour", Ron "Tater Salad" White is adored by fans of his caustic wit and everyday calls-it-like-he-sees-it Texan charm. We talk about his discovery of the part of his brain that went on to make him his fortune, about what it means to murder a crowd, and what it's like to be a joke when he's working on you...

Very funny, amazingly watchable, and offering genuine insight into his personal and social politics, Tez Ilyas is a Northern, working-class, muslim comic capable of going all the way. Exceptionally frank about his disappointment on being overlooked for award nomination, he goes on to identify the historic lack of diversity on the judging panel of one of the most highly regarded prizes in British comedy...

It's hard to imagine a more expressive, searingly honest and comprehensively funny comic than Maria Bamford. After a year which saw her series and new special on Netflix propel her finally to the earning that befits her talent, Maria reflects on how money, property and prestige don't solve anything, what it's like to be an ex-underdog, and whether it's possible to make a not for profit TV show. We also cover the relationship between her bipolar and her day to day happiness, and ask how you function when "weakness is the brand"...